


Trigger

by XachMustel



Category: Jo Minkus
Genre: Comedy, Cute, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-03-01 19:14:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23792170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XachMustel/pseuds/XachMustel
Summary: When Gleek finds a fur coat, he decides to bring it home. Unfortunately, it triggers a PTSD reaction from Jo and while Foxtrot attempts to console her, Gleek tries his best to dispose of the coat.





	Trigger

**Author's Note:**

> I recently got hooked on this 3 minute cartoon short created by Benjamin Anders called Jo Minkus.
> 
> While this fic generally follows my formula of fluffy, emotional oneshots, I believe this may be the first ever Jo Minkus fanfic to hit the internet.
> 
> As its a 3 minute cartoon short that never made a full series, this fic may fly under the radar to most and the characters may be just a tad OOC but keep in mind that all I have to work with is a 3 minute cartoon short. So hopefully, I nailed the characters personalities in this.
> 
> Anyways, my favorite character is Foxtrot by a landslide. He's like this adorable, nervous and pessimistic emo ferret that I just want to give a big hug to.
> 
> I hope you all can enjoy this fanfic but I highly recommend watching the short on Youtube first to become more familiar with the characters.

It was a warm, sunny day in the neighborhood as Gleek took a stroll down the sidewalk. He was lost in his own thoughts when a semi zoomed passed him. Blinded by smog, the energetic rodent coughed a bit before rubbing his eyes and seeing a large and heavy fur coat laying in the street.

Curiosity getting the best of him, Gleek dashed over to the fallen garment and picked it up. He gave it a nice, long whiff before putting it on and smiling to himself, "I look so classy!" He said aloud to nobody in particular. He then looked around as an idea formulated in his head, "I gotta show this to Jo and Foxtrot! They're gonna LOVE it!"

Giggling uncontrollably, Gleek ran all the way back to his house in the massive fur coat, tripping every 2 seconds as he dashed down the sidewalk.

Finally, upon arriving home, Gleek tripped and planted face-first into the front door. A loud thud was heard in the house and Foxtrot opened the door to be greeted by Gleek in an oversized fur coat with his face covered in bruises. The ferret blinked a few times before crossing his arms, "I....probably shouldn't ask."

"Foxtrot! You won't believe what I've found!" Gleek cheered excitedly, "It's so big and soft and classy! It's like those coats the fashion models wear. How do I look?"

"Injured." Foxtrot replied sarcastically without so much as missing a beat.

Jo peeked her head around the corner with a big smile on her face, "Hey, Gleek. Looking good in that coat."

"See, Foxtrot?" Gleek laughed as he elbowed his taller roommate, "At least someone has an eye for fashion around here." Foxtrot just rolled his eyes in response.

Just then, Gleek felt a sudden itch on his back, "Ugh, darn tags. Don't you just hate it when they rub against your skin?"

Annoyed, Gleek took off his newfound coat and ripped the tag off. He then began reading the tag, "Made with 100% real mink fur."

Blinking in confusion, he looked over to Jo, "Hey Jo, I think this coat is made out of you."

"Pfft, don't be ridiculous, Gleek." Jo snickered, "That kinda stuff is illegal."

"No, really." The rodent replied with a shocked look, "Just read the tag."

Jo swiped the tag out of Gleek's paw and read it. Instantly, the color drained from her normally vibrant face and she felt sick to her stomach.

"Burn it."

"I beg your pardon?" Gleek asked, raising an eyebrow.

"BURN IT!" Jo screamed, making her roommates flinch, "Set that evil carcass on FIRE and get it out of my face!"

"So....that isn't faux fur?" Foxtrot asked nervously, fidgeting with his fingers.

Jo let out a scream in response and dashed off to the basement. Foxtrot hung his head and frowned as Gleek cleared his throat, "Guess it was real after all."

"I'll go talk to her." Foxtrot sighed before turning to face Gleek, "You try your best to dispose of that thing. Just try not to catch the neighborhood on fire."

"Righto!" Gleek saluted Foxtrot. The ferret rolled his eyes again and headed in Jo's direction. He couldn't help but worry that trusting the rodent with fire was a grave mistake.

As soon as Foxtrot left, Gleek ran to the kitchen and started rifling through the drawers in search of a book of matches. It wasn't long before he found one and dashed outside to the backyard where he threw the mink coat to the ground and started striking matches on it.

He was about 6 matches in when Lola peered over the fence, "Like, what the heck do you think you're doing?"

"Trying to set this coat on fire. Jo told me to." Gleek answered honestly, book of matches still in paw.

"Just a tip but you like, may wanna try getting some gasoline if you want that thing to go up in flames. Then again, you like probably drink all of it when your lame roommates aren't looking." Lola smirked, looking down at the rodent.

"Do you know where I can find some?"

"Beats me. Maybe just syphon it out of a random car." Lola shrugged, "Anyway, I like gotta go tan so try not to disturb me, kay?"

"Okay!" Gleek nodded enthusiastically as he dashed off in search of gasoline.

Meanwhile, Foxtrot was slowly headed down the stairs of the basement. The sounds of Jo's uncharacteristic sobbing cutting into his heart as he gingerly made his descent, "Um....Jo? It's me, Foxtrot. Are you okay? I just want to talk. Jo....?"

There was no response. Slowly, he made his way to the bottom stair and saw a sight that made his heart shatter. Jo was curled up into a fetal position, tears streaming down her face as she clutched her signature hat close to her chest for security. She was sobbing and hyperventilating uncontrollably as she rocked back at forth. It was a downright alien sight that chilled Foxtrot to his very soul.

Immediately, Foxtrot felt his own eyes sting with tears so he blinked them back rapidly before kneeling beside his friend, "Jo?"

There was a long pause before Jo gained control of her speech, "Oh Foxtrot, it was so awful......back on the mink farm. It....it just wasn't when I lost my tail. All those screams. Minks left and right begging not to be taken from mommy and daddy and....and the smell. It was so foul, so vile.....so terrible...."

"It's okay, Jo." Foxtrot consoled, "That was all in the past, you're safe now. No one can ever hurt you again."

"Every so often....I'll have a nightmare." Jo choked through her sobs, "I just can't get those screams out of my head and the blood and the death.....it still haunts me."

At this point, Foxtrot felt tears spill out of his own eyelids as he pulled Jo into a massive hug and squeezed her tight before letting her go.

"I-I'm so sorry, Jo. I had no idea....y-you must've been through so much." Foxtrot stammered, warm tears running down his muzzle as he stared sheepishly at the floor.

Drying her eyes, Jo looked up and noticed Foxtrot was crying at this point as well. She watched as Foxtrot's tears dripped off his pink nose and landed on the floor as he whimpered softly. Slowly, she walked up to him and pulled the shy ferret into a warm hug, rubbing his back as he quietly sobbed in her embrace. After a while, they broke away and Foxtrot dragged the sleeve of his sweater across his muzzle, wiping the rest of his salty tears away, "I.....I wish you told me about this sooner."

"I just....don't like to think about it. Sorry if I worried you, Foxtrot." Jo apologized, wiping her own tears away.

"It's okay." Foxtrot chuckled, "Worried is practically my middle name."

The two burst into laughter before heading back up the stairs. Jo smiled at Foxtrot, "Did Gleek really go and set that nasty death coat on fire?"

"I think so." Foxtrot nodded, "But knowing him, he's probably caused a ton of collateral damage already."

The two made their way out of the basement, through the house and into the backyard. Sure enough, Lola's house was completely engulfed in flames, an entire gas pump was bobbing in the backyard swimming pool and Gleek was covered in burns.

Foxtrot snorted in annoyance at the sight, "Guess I'm calling the fire department."

"What happened?" Jo asked as she surveyed the scene.

"Oh. I stole an entire gas pump, set the coat on fire, tried to put it out when our yard caught fire and yeeted the flaming coat across the fence onto Lola's property." Gleek confessed.

Shrugging, Jo gave Gleek a pat on the head, "You did a great job, Gleek. A very, very great job. All that extra heat will give Lola a tan in no time!"

Gleek just smiled happily at the flaming house, proud that he did his part in cheering Jo up as the firetrucks arrived on the scene to a furious Lola. The end.


End file.
